2013 Ethiopia High-Level Symposium on “A renewed global partnership for development for a post-2015 era” - 6 to 7 June 2013

A new development landscape…

The world has changed significantly since the conception of the Millennium Development Goals. Despite the progress made, important gaps remain. The geography of poverty has evolved. Inequality is on the rise. The challenge of sustainable development is even more pressing. Meanwhile, a multi-polar economy has taken shape. Emerging economies play a larger role in development cooperation. So does an array of new and emerging actors: Southern providers, the private sector, philanthropy and civil society organizations.

…calls for a renewed global partnership for development

The global partnership for development has played a crucial role in MDG progress. It has galvanized aid, trade, debt relief, access to ICT and essential medicines, and other support. Yet, here too, important gaps remain. What will be needed to support implementation of a post-2015 development agenda? How can the global partnership evolve to ensure broad support, among all actors for delivery on commitments and for addressing the new challenges and opportunities?

Launching this dialogue in Ethiopia

The High-Level Symposium in Ethiopia took place at UN ECA Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and featured a multi-stakeholder dialogue on a renewed global partnership for development. The Symposium brought together traditional donors, Southern development cooperation providers and representatives of private philanthropic organizations, local governments, parliaments and civil society. Participants explored the purposes of a renewed global partnership and its guiding principles, plus key features of a post-2015 monitoring and accountability framework.

Expected outcomes

The Ethiopia High-Level Symposium made an immediate contribution to the preparations underway, around the world, for a post-2015 global development agenda. It also served as the first major preparatory event for the 2014 United Nations Development Cooperation Forum. Two DCF symposia will follow in Switzerland (October 2013) and Germany (1st quarter 2014). A number of special stakeholder events were held in Ethiopia on the eve of symposium.